The present invention relates to massaging apparatus such as incorporating oscillatory transducers in cushioned members, and more particularly to such apparatus as interfaced to an audio source for response thereto.
Massage devices that are responsive to audio signals include those that have a loudspeaker that directly projects a sound signal onto a massage surface (U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,821 to Eakin), or a loudspeaker projecting a signal into a body of water (U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,991 to Balamuth). Other such devices include those having a vibrating element that is attached to a structural member (U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,088 to Leonardi), or wherein sound generates specific movement in an element that operates in cooperation with other elements (U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,934 to Frazier).
The audio-responsive massagers of the prior art have not been entirely satisfactory for at least some of the following reasons:
1. They are ineffective in that the massaging motion is not always at a suitable frequency; and
2. They are excessively complex and/or expensive to provide.
Thus there is a need for an audio responsive massage system that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.